Apr 08
Today’s Truth
Jesus replied, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’
Matthew 22:37
Friend to Friend
From the moment of birth, we are taught that successful people never give up. Yet, I have discovered the paradoxical secret that true success can only be found in complete surrender.
Dr. Billy Graham tells the story of a little child who was playing with a very valuable vase. The child put his hand into the vase but could not pull it out. His father tried to free the little boy’s hand, but couldn’t. They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, “Son, let’s try one more time. Open your hand and hold your fingers out really straight and then pull.” The look of alarm on the boy’s face surprised the dad until the little boy explained, “Oh no, Dad. I can’t hold my fingers like that. If I did, I would drop my penny.”
Many of us are like that little boy – holding onto something that is keeping us from letting go and letting God have His way in our lives. It doesn’t really matter what that something is. If it is keeping us from surrendering to God, it is our jailer, and we are its prisoner.
Jesus longs for us to come to Him in total surrender. Not because He wants to win or prove His power, but because He longs to set us free. Matthew 22:37 goes straight to the heart of surrender and abandonment when it says, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.” Let’s take a closer look at the meaning of this verse:
“Heart” means “thought and emotion.”
“Soul” means “life or whole person.”
“Mind” means “understanding.”
In other words, to truly experience God, we must surrender all. And the word “all” really does mean all. Every thought and emotion, every dream and plan, every bit of human knowledge or understanding, our past, present and future – everything – just like the woman in Luke did.
Luke tells us that a certain woman came to Jesus bringing an alabaster jar of perfume. In Jesus’ day, alabaster jars were very common and of little value. It was the substance hidden inside that was so precious.
The perfume was the woman’s most priceless possession. It was very expensive but very necessary in her line of work as a prostitute, working the streets, selling her body in order to live. The money given to her by the men she slept with paid for the perfume she brought to Jesus. She could have put a small amount on His feet and it would have been a great financial sacrifice. But she brought it all, and she gave it all.
This woman came to God with a “yes” in her heart and a “whatever” in her soul, totally abandoning herself and all that she had to Him. “Abandon” literally means “without restraint or hindrance, a total relinquishment.” She came to Jesus, walking through her shame, straining against every hindrance, and relinquishing her old way of life. She came, ignoring the ugly whispers and judgmental stares of those who knew her so well.
Why? I believe she was desperate. The emptiness and sin were eating away at her soul. She was tired of being used, unloved and unwanted. She came ready to give up everything and in a desperation that is always winsome to Jesus. He met every need of her heart and changed the course of her life.
Today, He is calling you to that same kind of abandonment. Are you ready to exchange your life for one that is far beyond your greatest hopes and dreams? Are you desperate for Him? The Father is patiently and tenderly calling you. Come and rest in Him.
Let’s Pray
God, I am so tired of trying to live without You. I come today, desperately longing for You and seeking Your presence. Right now, I surrender to You, giving everything I know about myself to everything I know about You. Thank You for meeting me at my point of need.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.
Now It’s Your Turn
- List the things in your life that keep you from fully surrendering to God.
- Confess them and choose against each one.
- Destroy that list as a sacrifice of complete abandonment to God.
- Choose to walk in the freedom He brings.
More from the Girlfriends
The most common invitation offered by Jesus Christ is simply to “come.” He doesn’t ask us to fix what is wrong or expect us to clean up our lives. That is His responsibility. Jesus loves us just as we are – in the midst of our sin and frail humanity. When we come to Him with a “yes” in our hearts, He lovingly transforms the broken places into beautiful scars of healing and new life. Mary’s MP3 download “Come As You Are” is an encouraging message filled with hope and God’s love and power to help us be all He created us to be. Check it out!
Be sure to check out the FREEBIES on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.
Thank you Mary, for this message.
Great message 🙂 thank you!
Thank you for today’s devotional, Mary. It reminds me of the song, “I Surrender All”. I surrendered my life to Jesus Christ in 1977 and what a sweet surrender it has been. I could never imagine all the blessings the Lord would have in store for me. I went through trials also, but the Lord was ever faithful to bring me through each and everyone of them. Blessed be the name of the Lord!
Keep up the good work that all you ladies do in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ. He is our ” Blessed Savior “. May the good Lord continue to guide you and richly bless the ministry of ” Girlfriends in God “.
Ever been there…the waiting season, trials of many kind, needing much rest from the ways of the world? Every day we wait for something! Wait in line, wait for baby to stop crying, wait for test results, wait for payday, wait for a miracle, wait for—–you fill in the blank. It’s just part of life and we’re not really good at waiting in a fast pace world. When I played softball in HS, at times I would be the clean-up batter. I’d be so anxious as my teammates ‘waited’ on me to hopefully bring them to home base! My nerves and doubt would get the best of me! The Pressure! Sometimes I’d hit them all in, but other times I’d strike out! Striking out was a horrible defeated feeling, as I’d also go on to beat myself up. My Dad was my coach, but I was harder on myself then he was so he didn’t have to say a thing! My sweet Father would say, “Shake it off Amy, shake it off,” bc I had to for the team! It wasn’t all about me and we all had a position to fulfill! We had to prepare our minds and wait for the next play! In a spiritual sense, we have to prepare our hearts and minds for God’s next play. That may involve waiting! It doesn’t mean we’ve struck out…it just means that He is up to something else. He is on my team. He is my Coach! If I’m smart, I’ll listen to Him softly telling me to shake it off and trust Him for the next play! I’m in another waiting season, again, as many of us are. This year I set some new goals for myself and so did my Mom. She was going to get healthy and become the new Jane, but she’s in the hospital recovering from a horrible fall. I was going to study the Bible more, start a motivational blog, exercise more, maybe take some classes, work more, possibly start a Mentoring Ministry, be there for my family/friends more, etc. and on and on my mind reeled into the future. But life has been interrupted. My mom’s health/plans and my plans are once again on hold. And it’s serious. Another waiting season! My sweet sister reminded me today that God has allowed me to be in a place where I can help my Mother a little more then if I was covered up with all my own plans! God’s timing once again proves to be better then mine! “When we believe God will do what He says He’ll do, we can do what we’ve been called to do.” Shelly Faust
I relate to your post. We are over committed at times. You chose the best ! This time with your Mother is precious. It will comfort you when you need it most. Don’t compromise that time. Mothers teach us so much and they live in our hearts long after they leave this world. Life is indeed a cycle of wait and go. God is the source of strength, wisdom, and calm in the midst of the storm.
You have a gift for writing. Continue to share with others who may not have the faith and foundation you obviously do.
More Blessing to you. Ann B.
This woman was called as we are called. To surrender and come to Him just as we are! That is so freeing! we don’t have to “clean up our act” first. we just come. I pray that as women, we don’t wait until we are desperate. That we would come to Him now!
This touched me deeply and blessed me tremendously!
Awesome message and challenge in this devotion. Thank you.
Being touched by the best! nothing like it particularly to weary travelers
May the blessing of light continue to be in you!
I’m understanding, Justina and Empress
I especially like this part:
“Heart” means “thought and emotion.”
“Soul” means “life or whole person.”
“Mind” means “understanding.”
COME! BY ALL MEANS OPEN JESUS!!!!! COME!!!!